Goal 21: Private foundations, state and federal funding sources, the Vermont Legislature, the governor’s administration, and food system investors will coordinate and leverage available resources to maximize the implementation of this Plan.

A key development in the local food movement is that investors, lenders, foundations, the public sector, and philanthropic grant makers are all increasingly interested in sustainable agriculture as an important funding area, investment opportunity, and as a catalyst for social change (e.g., Slow Money). Additionally, several new funding mechanisms—the Working Lands Enterprise Fund, the VSJF Flexible Capital Fund, and the Vermont Farm Fund—came online, some ongoing events—Peak Pitch, Vermont Venture Network—include funding and networking opportunities to food system businesses, and the Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund was created to mitigate the impacts of Tropical Storm Irene. There is an emerging opportunity to expand and coordinate the suite of financing resources that can be used to strengthen Vermont’s food system.